Why Walking Dead Fans Hated Andrea So Much

Andrea didn't gain a ton of support from viewers during her short stint on The Walking Dead, and a lot of it had to do with the comic books.

Andrea didn't gain a ton of support from viewers during her three-season stint on The Walking Dead. The character, played by Laurie Holden, was based on a key figure featured in the Walking Dead comic book series created by Robert Kirkman. Rather than follow her comic book character's arc and personality traits, the TV version of Andrea went in another direction. In doing so, Andrea emerged as one of the most hated characters in the minds of a large segment of fans.

Holden made her Walking Dead debut in the show's second episode, "Guts." Andrea was one of the members of the small group of survivors that took in Lori and Carl Grimes before they reunited with Rick. The former civil rights lawyer and her younger sister were saved by a fellow survivor, Dale Horvath. Andrea served as a viable contributor when it came to protecting the group, especially when the camp relocated to the Greene family farm. She eventually became separated from the rest of the group and wound up in Woodbury where she became romantically involved with the community's sadistic leader, The Governor.

By The Walking Dead season 3, it was made clear that the TV series was deviating from Andrea's comic book arc. Not only did the character make a bad first impression, but she constantly chastised those who put their lives on the line for her safety. Rather than make her a strong female force, many felt the show transformed her into a pushy and unappreciative figure. The series could have followed the comic counterpart by making Andrea a level-headed loyal member of the group, but instead, her strange infatuation with The Governor muddled her senses. In the end, it was too late by the time she listened to her original group, and her connection to The Governor led to Andrea's untimely death. If she was portrayed differently, maybe fans would have had more sympathy, but the redemption arc didn't quite cut it.

Even Laurie Holden Wasn't A Fan Of Andrea's Romance With The Governor

Ahead of Andrea's season 3 death, Holden signed an eight-year deal to serve as a long-term cast member. The plan was supposed to be much different for Andrea on The Walking Dead season 3 and beyond, which could have given the writers an opportunity to make her more likable. Instead, the character continued making foolish decisions while her arc became stale. Before the series could flesh out the role to give her actual development with Rick's group, Andrea was killed off. Even Holden was dissatisfied with her character, publicly stating on multiple occasions that it was a mistake to steer away from the comic material.

The decision to erase Andrea's presence was made in an effort to provide shock value. In reality, it led some viewers to become even more dissatisfied with the character. Not only did she make questionable choices, but now there was no shot of steering Andrea to a figure reminiscent of the comic book version. This understandably left a sour taste in the mouths of fans who kept their fingers crossed for a positive change with Andrea's evolution on The Walking Dead.